Sci-Fi Bits: T5, Martian Chronicles, Falling Skies, and Apes

Vin Diesel as the new Terminator in a Justin Lin-directed “Terminator 5″? It could very well happen. Or not. But would-be director Lin, who helmed “Fast Five” (starring Diesel) certainly seems open to the idea. He tells Moviehole:

Vin’s been a really great partner on this franchise. We’ve talked about the mythology [of the Terminator series]…[pause] he’s a great guy and a great actor. I really like working with him so anything I do I usually talk to him about. Sometimes we even talk about going back and doing a little indy movie.

Now all Lin has to do is commit to directing “T5″, then cast Diesel. Of course, that would mean Diesel would have to delay his “Riddick” sequels, and at this point, I think I’d rather see more “Riddick” movies than another “Terminator” film with an aging Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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Ray Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles” is closer to arriving on the big screen. After being optioned last year, the movie has now found a home at Paramount, with producer John Davis still attached.

In three structures, the stories dealt with attempts to settle Mars and the Martians’ efforts to fight the humans off, the colonization of the red planet and a nuclear war that eventually forces most of the humans to return to Earth. In the aftermath of the war, humans become the new Martians.

The studio now needs to attach a writer and director, and start casting.

Either way, we’re coming, Red Planet, we’re a-comin’…

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The aliens invade TV this summer in TNT’s new alien invasion series “Falling Skies”, but until then, here’s a 5-minute sneak peek at the first episode.

At the center of FALLING SKIES is Tom Mason (Wyle), a Boston history professor whose family has been torn apart. His wife was killed shortly after the initial attack, and one of his three sons has been taken captive by the aliens for some unknown purpose. Tom must now put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as second in command of the 2nd Massachusetts, a regiment of resistance fighters protecting a large group of civilian survivors. They are constantly trying to gain intelligence about the aliens in order to one day outsmart and overtake them and hopefully rebuild their lives.

And finally, the apes won’t rise to enslave us until August 5, 2011, but until then, get an eyeful of what’s come before “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” in this new groovy infographics sheet courtesy of IGN. Click to enlarge.